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Discovery Education is Among the First STEM Organizations to Earn Inaugural Cognia STEM Provider CertificationToday, the school-improvement, assessment, and certification organization Cognia recognized the Charlotte, NC-based Discovery Education as one of the first organizations to earn its inaugural Cognia™ STEM Provider Certification. The certification, launched this year, aims to help school leaders and community stakeholders identify quality providers of STEM programs that:
"The certification is designed to differentiate organizations that simply put a STEM stamp on their materials and marketing and those that have products and services that meet high standards," says Dr. Mark Elgart, President and CEO of Cognia. The certification process, Dr. Elgart notes, involves several stages of rigorous internal, external, and on-site review and assessment of performance against standards focused on contributions to the STEM pipeline, STEM learning, connections to real-world applications and community, and program efficacy. While Cognia accredits schools and school districts and provides certification in a number of areas, including Early Learning STEM and STEM school programs, the new certification is designed to assure quality among content and service providers, including professional development organizations, publishers, after-school providers, university-based STEM learning centers, and others. "In reviewing Discovery Education-a leading global provider of standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, content, and professional learning-our evaluators were particularly impressed by the expertise and passion the organization brings to its work in extending STEM learning opportunities for young people," noted Scott Davidson, Senior Director, STEM services at Cognia. "Discovery Education is proud to earn the Cognia seal of approval," said Scott Kinney, President of K-12 Education for Discovery Education. "While we are well-known in the STEM field, the certification demonstrates that we have exceeded rigorous expectations and will help set us apart from other programs by education leaders who understand the importance of Cognia STEM Certification." Attaining Cognia STEM Provider Certification means that national and international providers meet rigorous standards in four domains of quality:
"In the long run, we want to create clarity about what it means to have quality implementation and bring together an ever-growing group of STEM certified institutions as a community of practice to improve the quality of STEM learning in the United States," Mr. Davidson said. "Our vision is that all students have the opportunity to pave their own path into the future, using STEM skills and knowledge to make their way." Discovery Education is part of a select, purposefully diverse group of providers that have earned the certification. The other groups include:
About Cognia Cognia has the knowledge to help schools improve. Cognia offers accreditation and certification, assessment, professional services and consulting within a framework of continuous improvement. The result of the merger of AdvancED and Measured Progress, Cognia was formed to bridge the gap between school evaluation and student assessment. As a global nonprofit working in over 80 countries, our 36,000 institutions serve and support nearly 25 million students and 5 million educators every day. Cognia is an undeniable force for enhancing schools, engaging students, and driving better outcomes for all. Find out more at cognia.org. About Discovery Education Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education's services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K. and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.DiscoveryEducation.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191106006084/en/ |